


Destress With Me

by flitterflutterfly



Series: Tumblr Prompts [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 17:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flitterflutterfly/pseuds/flitterflutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin meets Arthur at the corner table of a crowded bar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Destress With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompt by an anon. (On my old tumblr so I don't remember the exact wording of the prompt.)

Camelot was the newest bar near campus and it was packed. Merlin wondered at the sanity of coming on opening night, but then his roommate, Will, had begged and begged and so it wasn’t as though he honestly ever had a choice.

Will had, of course, abandoned him the minute they’d finally been able to get into the actual bar and so Merlin set about finding himself a nice corner table where he could hopefully be left alone.

There was one, but it had an occupant already. Merlin frowned and then headed over to the bar to order two pints of whatever beer wasn’t sold out yet. The bartender, an attractive women with bright red lipstick, gave him barely a glance.

Merlin couldn’t say he minded. He never was one for girls.

Carrying the two beers over to the corner table, Merlin set one down in front of the bloke already sitting there. Said bloke looked up from his laptop and frowned.

"Look," Merlin said. "This is a bribe. I just want a seat away from the crowd and it looks as though you’ve grabbed the best spot."

The bloke stared at him for long enough that Merlin thought he might actually be turned away, but then he sighed and titled the beer up, taking a healthy gulp. “Fine.”

Merlin grinned and sat down. “I’m Merlin, by the way.”

"Arthur," the bloke said, his voice weary. "Look, just because I said you could sit here does not mean we’re going to talk."

"Sure," Merlin said, with a shrug. Yeah, casual brush offs from blokes were always a bit harder to deal with, but at least he wasn’t dying from the press of bodies on all sides. He settled back in his his chair and looked out into the crowd.

People-watching was a hobby more then anything, but what else did he have to do?

Arthur muttered something under his breath and slammed his laptop shut. Merlin winced, for the laptop’s sake if nothing else. Arthur saw him watching and sighed. “Not really the best atmosphere to get work done,” he admitted.

"No, I imagine not," Merlin said. "You might want a hit up a coffee shop next time, mate."

Arthur rolled his eyes. “I’m not daft,  _Mer_ lin. But I have to be here tonight.”

Merlin fought a shiver at the way Arthur said his name and instead focused on the words. “Why?”

"My father owns this place," Arthur sighed. "His willing to put up with my passion for literature, but he still expects me to be a businessman and so he told me to get a scope of the crowd tonight."

"Literature, huh?" Merlin said. "I’m studying pharmaceutical practices."

"Fascinating," Arthur remarked dryly.

"But hey," Merlin said. "It’s not the end of the world, right? Soon you’ll be graduated and then you can go on to do your own things. It’s not like your father can force you to work for him forever."

Arthur frowned. “It’s not that easy.”

Merlin shrugged, but didn’t argue. He didn’t know Arthur well enough for that, probably. “Well, if you need someone to complain at… I'm here, I suppose.”

Arthur laughed. "I’m a stranger, Merlin. Do you always hit up random blokes?"

"Only when they’re as attractive as you," Merlin grinned.

Arthur froze, blue eyes meeting Merlin’s. “And as rich?”

Merlin blinked. “You never said you were rich,” he remarked. “Literature’s not really the most money-earning of majors, mate.”

"Don’t." Arthur sighed. "Call me mate, I mean. Arthur is fine."

"Arthur," Merlin agreed. He leaned closer. "So what do you say? Want to… destress, a bit?"

Arthur rolled his eyes and reached forward, tugging Merlin in closer. Merlin went easily.


End file.
